I Had a Baby in U.s. Is He a U.s Citizen?

Download Commodity

Download Article

Becoming a U.S. citizen is a dream for many, and there are different methods to attain that. About people will first utilize to become a legal permanent resident and then become a naturalized citizen. However, you can also gain citizenship through marriage, your parents, or military service. If you have questions nearly condign a citizen, contact an attorney who specializes in U.S. immigration law.

1. 1

   Obtain a green carte. Before you can go a naturalized citizen, you demand to get a legal permanent resident. This is called getting your "dark-green card." Y'all can get a green menu in the following ways:^[1]

   • Green card through your family unit. A family unit member in the U.s.a. can sponsor you. If your family member is a U.S. citizen, then they can sponsor their spouse, unmarried children nether twenty-one years of age, and parents. They can also sponsor siblings, married children, and single children over twenty-ane years of age.
   • Green card through your job. If you accept an offer of permanent employment, yous are eligible to petition to get a dark-green card. Others with exceptional ability tin petition themselves and don't need an employer to sponsor them.^[2]
   • Green carte every bit a refugee or asylum seeker. Refugees and asylum seekers in the United States for 1 twelvemonth may petition for a green card.

2. 2

   Satisfy residency requirements. You need to live in the Us for a certain amount of time before you apply for naturalization. Check that you satisfy the post-obit:^[iii]

   • You must have been lawfully admitted into the U.S.
   • Yous must demonstrate continuous residence in the U.S. for at to the lowest degree five years immediately before you file for naturalization. For instance, if you desire to apply in January 2018, yous must have been a resident since Jan 2013.
   • You must take been physically nowadays in the U.S. for at least thirty months during those v years.
   • You must testify y'all accept lived for at least three months in the state or USCIS commune where you use.

   Advertising

3. 3

   Come across personal requirements. You must also meet certain personal requirements, such as the post-obit:^[four]

   • You must exist at least 18 years old when you lot file your application to become naturalized.
   • Yous should exist able to speak, write, and read in English. You lot will have to laissez passer an exam to demonstrate your proficiency in the linguistic communication.
   • You lot must be a person of good moral grapheme. Substantially, this ways you are an upstanding member of guild who works, pays their taxes, and doesn't break the law.^[5]

4. 4

   Submit your naturalization awarding. Download Form Northward-400, Application for Naturalization, and either type the requested information or impress neatly in black ink. Be sure to download and read the instructions ahead of fourth dimension.^[6]

   • Y'all volition take to submit supporting documents forth with your awarding. Read the instructions to find out what to supply. For example, yous must supply a copy of your permanent resident carte.
   • As of June 2017, the filing fee is $640. You likewise need to pay a biometric service fee of $85. Make your check or money lodge payable to "U.Due south. Department of Homeland Security." Don't use other initials.
   • To find out where to file, call 1-800-375-5283.

5. 5

   Give biometrics. Well-nigh applicants volition need to give their fingerprints, photograph, and signature. USCIS volition notify you if yous do. They will transport a notice with the date, fourth dimension, and location of your appointment.^[7]

   • Your fingerprints will be sent to the FBI for a background bank check.
   • Brand sure to option up your study booklet to prepare for your English and civics tests.

6. half dozen

   Set up for your tests. Yous'll attend an interview, where a USCIS officer will question you about your groundwork and awarding. You volition too take your English and civics examination at the interview. Yous should prepare for the tests carefully.

   • Think about attention an English or citizenship preparation class. To find your nearest class, visit this website: https://my.uscis.gov/findaclass.
   • You lot can likewise take practice civics tests, which are available online.^[8]

7. 7

   Nourish your interview. You volition receive notice in the post telling you the date and time for your interview. At the interview, y'all will take the English and citizenship tests. If you speak English language well plenty in the interview, you might not demand to sit the English exam.^[9]

   • Gather required documents ahead of fourth dimension. A checklist should be sent to yous (Form 477).^[10]

8. 8

   Swear an oath. The final step is to swear the Oath of Allegiance. You'll receive Class 455, which will tell you where and when to take the oath. You must respond the questions on the back of this form and review them with an officeholder when you attend your naturalization ceremony.

   • At the end of the ceremony, you volition receive your certificate of naturalization.^[11]

   Ad

1. ane

   Obtain a greenish card through your spouse. Your spouse should submit Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative to USCIS. Your spouse will need to submit proof of the marriage, such equally a marriage document.

   • If you're already living in the U.Due south. subsequently entering legally, and so y'all can conform your condition at the same time. Complete and submit Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residency or Adjust Status. Your spouse can submit this form along with Grade I-130.
   • If you're currently living outside the U.South., so y'all'll need to await for your visa to exist approved. Yous'll attend an interview at the nearest embassy or consulate.^[12] Once admitted into the U.S., y'all can adjust your status by filing Grade I-485.

2. 2

   Talk nigh your union in an interview. The U.S. government is worried well-nigh sham marriages, so you can expect to attend an interview where an official will ask personal questions. Common questions include the following:^[thirteen]

   • Where did you meet your spouse?
   • How many people attended your wedding?
   • Who does the cooking and who pays the bills?
   • What did you do for your spouse'southward birthday?
   • What forms of birth control exercise you utilise?

3. 3

   Satisfy the residency requirements. You can't immediately utilize for naturalization after receiving your green card. Instead, you must meet the post-obit residency requirements:^[xiv]

   • You lot must have been a green card holder for the three years immediately before y'all apply for naturalization.
   • You must have been a continuous resident for the three years before you utilize and have been physically nowadays in the U.S. for at to the lowest degree xviii months.
   • You must accept lived in a marriage with your U.Due south. citizen spouse during the 3 years. Your spouse must have been a denizen during the entire time.
   • You must accept lived inside the state or USCIS district for at least 3 months before you file your application.

4. 4

   Meet other personal requirements. In improver to residency, you need to bear witness that y'all have other personal characteristics to exist eligible. Bank check that yous satisfy the following:^[15]

   • You must exist at least eighteen years of age.
   • You lot must exist able to write, read, and speak English.
   • You need to be a person of skilful moral character. Generally, this means you oasis't broken a serious law and that you run across your legal obligations, such as paying taxes and child support.^[16]
   • You lot must have entered the land legally. For example, you lot can't exist in the United States illegally and get citizenship only because you married a denizen.

5. 5

   Submit your naturalization application. Once you accept satisfied the residency requirement, you tin can submit Grade 400, Awarding for Naturalization. Download and read the instructions earlier completing the application, bachelor here: https://www.uscis.gov/north-400. When you are prepare to file, telephone call 1-800-375-5283 to observe out the accost.

   • Read the instructions to find out what documents you must submit along with your application.
   • Brand payment to "U.South. Section of Homeland Security." As of June 2017, the filing fee is $640 and the biometric fee is $85. You can pay using money order or check.

6. 6

   Requite fingerprints. USCIS will transport you lot a observe telling you where to give your fingerprints and when.^[17] USCIS needs your fingerprints so that the FBI can run a background bank check.

7. 7

   Nourish an interview. You'll need to meet with immigration officials to go over your application. USCIS is looking to confirm that your awarding is legitimate and that nothing has inverse since you lot submitted information technology. You'll receive a checklist of documents to take with you to the interview, so assemble everything alee of time.

8. 8

   Take your tests. You must pass exams in civics and English language. Yous volition take them at your interview, and you lot should prepare as much as possible. For example, look to run into if a preparation class is offered near you for either test. You can find the nearest classes at this website: https://my.uscis.gov/findaclass. Enter your naught lawmaking.

   • Several practice civics tests are available here: https://my.uscis.gov/prep/test/civics.

9. 9

   Attend your naturalization ceremony. The last step is to swear the Oath of Allegiance at your naturalization ceremony. Class 455 will tell you when and where the ceremony will take identify. At the end of the ceremony, yous'll receive your certificate of naturalization.^[18]

   Advertisement

1. 1

   Be born to U.Due south. citizens. Y'all will automatically become a U.Due south. denizen even if yous are built-in outside the United States if both of your parents are U.S. citizens at the time of birth and are married to each other. At least one parent must have lived in the U.S. or a territory before the child'south birth.^[19]

2. 2

   Have one parent as a U.S. denizen. A child can also automatically authorize as a U.Due south. citizen at nativity if i parent is a U.S. citizen, provided the parents are both married to each other. This parent must have been present in a state or territory for at to the lowest degree five years in their life before the child is born.

   • The parent also must have spent at to the lowest degree ii of those years in a land/territory subsequently they were aged 14.^[twenty]
   • The child must take been built-in on or after Nov 14, 1986.
   • There are another circumstances, which y'all can read near at the USCIS website.

3. 3

   Qualify even if your parents are unmarried. A child tin automatically authorize as a denizen at nascency if their parents are unmarried. Consider the post-obit situations:^[21]

   • The mother is a U.S. denizen at the fourth dimension of birth and the female parent has been physically nowadays in the U.Southward. or an outlying territory for at to the lowest degree one year.
   • The genetic father is a U.S. denizen at the time of nascency. The child'due south mother tin be an alien. Notwithstanding, yous must prove with clear and convincing bear witness that the father is the child'southward biological father, and he must agree in writing to provide fiscal support for the child until they are 18 years of age. The father besides must have been living in the United States for a certain amount of time.

4. 4

   Earn citizenship subsequently nascence. A child tin can automatically qualify for citizenship if they were built-in after Feb 27, 2001 and meet the post-obit requirements:^[22]

   • 1 parent must exist a U.S. citizen.
   • The child must be under eighteen years of age.
   • The child should reside in the Us.
   • The parent who is the U.Due south. citizen must have legal and physical custody of the kid.
   • If the child was born earlier February 27, 2001, and so different requirements utilize.

5. 5

   Get a citizen past adoption. A kid living legally in the U.S. with parents who have legal and physical custody can get a denizen by virtue of their adoption. One of the following atmospheric condition must be met:^[23]

   • The parents adopted the child before the child'due south sixteenth birthday and reside with the child in the U.S. for at to the lowest degree two years.
   • Alternately, the child was admitted into the U.S. as an orphan (IR-3) or Convention adoptee (IH-3) and the adoption was completed outside the U.S. The child must have been adopted before their eighteenth birthday.
   • The child was admitted into the country as an orphan (IR-iv) or Convention adoptee (IH-four) who arrived to be adopted. The child must have been adopted earlier their eighteenth birthday.

   Advert

1. i

   Practice good moral character. Good moral character generally means that you don't break the police and you meet all of your legal obligations, such as paying taxes and making kid support payments. If y'all have a criminal confidence, consult with an immigration attorney.

2. two

   Show knowledge of English and U.South. civics. Members of the war machine must show that they can read, write, and speak English. They also must evidence cognition of U.Southward. authorities and history, called civics.^[24]

   • Y'all'll have to pass exams in both English and civics. Y'all can find information well-nigh the exams online.

3. 3

   Serve in peacetime. If y'all served in peacetime, you can employ for naturalization if you see the post-obit requirements:^[25]

   • Serve honorably for at least one yr.
   • Obtain a green menu.
   • File an application while still in service or within six months of separation.

4. 4

   Serve during wartime. The requirements are different if you lot are serving during a flow of hostilities. The U.Southward. has currently been in such a menses since 2002, and it will last until the President designates that it is over. In this situation, all members of the military can immediately employ to go naturalized.^[26]

5. 5

   Use for citizenship. Every installation should have a person to contact. They volition commonly be in personnel or the Judge Advocate General's Office. You will demand to complete Form Due north-400 and Class Due north-426.^[27] Contact them and receive a packet of information. Your filing fee is waived.

   • USCIS has customer service specialists who tin answer questions from military members and their families. Call 1-877-247-4645 Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.
   • You can also e-mail militaryinfo.nsc@dhs.gov.

6. 6

   Swear an oath. Before you can become a denizen, you must testify zipper to the U.Southward. Constitution by swearing an adjuration of fidelity.^[28]

   Advertisement

Add together New Question

• Question

  Will I automatically become a Usa citizen if I ally a US citizen?

  

  No. You lot still need to apply for US citizenship. Marrying a United states citizen volition brand the process easier, however.

• Question

  How long does it accept to get citizenship?

  

  Assuming you lot are a permanent resident of the U.S. for at least five years, the process takes anything from iii months to over a year. Check with your local USCIS office, since processing times vary considerably. If y'all are married to a citizen, then information technology only takes iii years instead of 5.

• Question

  My child was born here. Do I go a citizen as well?

  

  No, you do non automatically become a citizen.

• Question

  Can I bring together the Army earlier I become a United states citizen?

  

  Yeah, you tin can join the army before yous become a U.Southward. citizen, every bit long as you accept a light-green card. Joining the ground forces also helps you become a citizen, as you just have to live i yr in America instead of 3.

• Question

  How many years tin can I live in the U.s.a. before I have to take the citizenship exam?

  

  You can live there as long as you desire, as long as yous renew your green bill of fare. Y'all never accept to get a citizen and have the exam, unless you lot want to become a citizen.

• Question

  If my green card is expired, can I use to be a U.Due south. denizen?

  

  No. If your green card has expired, you cannot. Simply if you lot employ six months earlier the expiration, y'all tin utilize for citizenship and no longer need a dark-green card.

• Question

  I was married to a U.South. citizen merely am now divorced. Tin can I still become a citizen?

  

  This depends on when you divorced. If you've been in the U.S. for 5 years, you still qualify. However, you might be trying to qualify for early citizenship after iii years based on your spousal relationship. In that situation, you lot must still be married to your spouse before your naturalization ceremony.

• Question

  Tin my parents get citizens if I become 18 or 21 and file for their papers?

  

  No, your parents must file their ain papers.

• Question

  My light-green bill of fare doesn't accept an expiration appointment. Is it valid for citizenship?

  

  You lot don't take an expiration date because you lot accept one of the older green cards from the early eighties. They don't expire, they are permanent, that's why y'all just take an upshot date.

• Question

  Do I need to be a US citizen if I desire to get to higher in the United states of america?

  

  No, just you will need to utilise for a student visa. The higher you want to attend should be able to give you more data, so I would recommend contacting them.

Encounter more answers

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertisement

Video

• If you have criminal convictions, consult with an clearing attorney to come across if you tin pursue becoming a citizen.

Advertisement

About This Article

Article Summary X

To become a U.s. citizen, you must be 18 or older, proficient in English, and a police force-constant person. If you lot come across those requirements, one way you can attempt to get a dark-green card is by having a family member who's already a citizen sponsor you. Another way to get a greenish card is through your job if you have an employment offer. You besides can petition for a green carte du jour if you lot take been in the Us for one year every bit a refugee or asylum seeker. For more than information on becoming a US citizen, including by nascency or marriage, keep reading!

Did this summary help you?

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 1,448,882 times.

Did this article help yous?

springsviance.blogspot.com

Source: https://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-US-Citizen

Share this post